Ouzo Doesn't Pay for Itself...

Anonymous Before I came to Greece, Ouzo drinking seemed like an art, a way of life within Greece. Before my brother left for his semester of study in Athens, he wanted to experience this opaque mixture. We got the best bottle we could find in the States, looked up the traditional way to mix the drink, and then, on our first sip, we were accosted by the overwhelming kick of licorice that defines Ouzo. Here is a very quick background on the murky Greek drink. Ouzo's precursors, Tsipouro or Raki, date back to the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. There are many mythes, accounts, and stories associates with these spirits, but one links Tsipouro, and thus Ouzo, to a group of monks on Mt. Athos. The canonically proper way to serve Ouzo is to mix it with cold water and ice. The spirit reacts with the water to for a precipitate that gives mixed Ouzo its distinct murkiness. Several years ago, the European Union gave Ouzo and its beverage predecessors protection under designation of origin. Similar to Champagne, Ouzo's name is reserved only for those spirits from Greece. These drinks have a history here and their identity is part of the Greek identity. Food, obviously, is very important here and Ouzo/Tsipouro/Raki play roles in that experience. Yesterday, walking around the Plaka, we found ourselves standing in shops dedicated to culinary souvenir. For about three seconds, I though about getting several travel size, packed, bottles of Ouzo to bring back as presents. I decided against it. A mixture of me not believing that the experience of the spirit removed from Greek food and culture would be anywhere near a justification and an overwhelming fear that they would break in my suitcase, causing my clothes to reek of licorice for ever made the decision easy. Here, Ouzo is not just an drink, but a part of what you do during meal times. Dining here is not just about sustinance, but about enjoying your company and enjoying the culture. While in Greece, Ouzo after a good Greek meal, augmented by good conversation with your companions, should be something you should try. But, unlike komboli, Ouzo is a Greek experience that I will be very happy to leave in Greece.